


Organized Lightning

by Pfunk



Category: Original Work
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 12:38:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13927302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pfunk/pseuds/Pfunk
Summary: Oracle is.... difficult, loving, terrifying, and understanding. She sees things differently and that's a good thing. She thinks inside and outside the box an that's what has kept her alive through everything she's lived through.





	Organized Lightning

Don't get me wrong, my life hasn't been perfect, nor has it not been a barrel of fun as well. 

I vaguely remember reading somewhere when I was younger "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I've have ended up where I intended to be."* Which always seemed to reflect my life in a nutshell I guess. 

As I grew in years, however, I noticed that I tended to find trouble, in some shape or another that usually ended with me making a quick exit stage left.

Most of the time I ended up fighting alongside people through, just trying to do the right thing. Little did they know the spunky little redhead was, something different, something alien, with nothing more than a kind word and a small bit of electricity. 

This is a bit of my story.

\--------------------------- 

"Priestess Maradosia, Priestess Maradosia!" A young man in ceremonial purple robes, bounded up a set of stairs, in front of an altar was a woman, heavily pregnant and close to her labor date.

Pacing back and forth while novices helped her walk, she committed scripture to memory in preparation for a ceremony that she was to perform later. 

"Priestess Maradosia.” He said again, slightly out of breath. Maradosia held up a hand so he would wait, “Catch your breath, my child.” She watched him for a moment more before returning to the paper she held in her hand. 

Finally, the young man caught his breath then waited for his lady to give him leave to speak. After reading the last line, Maradosia looked up, addressing him. 

She was a small, usually well-natured woman but this pregnancy had been particularly challenging; Her blonde locks had started to go grey because of it, except, for one vibrant red streak through it. Of anything she thought, it had gotten brighter. 

Placing her hand on her stomach, she felt the child that grew inside her move under hands; Maradosia prayed to the goddess for a girl this time even though that had been something Maradosia had given up during her second pregnancy.  

However, something about this child felt different. It didn’t move as her other pregnancies had, and to be honest, it worried her. Gingerly Maradosia ran her hands over her swollen belly momentary lost in her thoughts. 

The young man cleared his throat in an attempt to pull his mistress’s attention back to the present, her mind seemed to be wandering more and more lately, and that had the whole community worried. Maradosia blinked and snapped back to the present “Yes, sorry my mind was elsewhere.” 

The young man bowed his head for a moment. "Thank you, Mistress." taking a step forward; the young man pulled forth a string of amber colored beads "I bring these to you as an offering to the Goddess and you." he held them forth offering them to Maradosia.

"Thank you, my child. They are certainly beautiful." Maradosia looked at the necklace then to the young man that stood in front of her, "They must have cost you quite a few coins?" The young man nodded and bowed again "Yes mistress." Maradosia looked at the young man, holding his gaze. "Stay here."

Turning, Maradosia started to head to her private quarters. As she moved to her door, she saw one of her novices smile some to herself as Maradosia walked by, she suspected the novice knew what Maradosia was up to

Closing the door behind her, Marasdosia held the string of beads up to the light to examine them more. Yes, they had to of cost the young man quite a bit. There was no way Maradosia could accept this offering; it was to lavish, even if it was an offering gesture.

Sighing a little, Maradosia closed her hands around the string of beads; money was hard to come by in this day and age, as well as food. The young man's devotion touched Maradosia deeply. "My lady," Maradosia closed her eyes and clutched the beads to her chest "We cannot keep these," she said slightly to herself, and waited a moment to see if she felt any command within her soul.

Opening her eyes, Maradosia knew what she had to do. Walking over to one of her standing cabinets, where she kept some of her nonreligious personal items. She had saved some money to buy her children a cake after their newest sibling’s arrival. But, Maradosia believed her little ones would understand. 

Placing the money in a small drawstring bag, Maradosia started towards the door then stopped, the child that grew within her seemed to have gone silent, almost like they were listening, almost watching what was going on outside their little world where they sat, safely nestled within Maradosia's womb. "You're gonna be an interesting one child, very much indeed." 

Maradosia started to reach for the door "Oh, wait." Turning she moved over to a table, Maradosia grabbed a loaf of bread that she had left for a later time. "They need it more than me." wrapping it in a piece of cloth before walking over to the door, opening it back up and walking through, holding the items she had gone to retrieve.

The look on the young man's face, when Maradosia came through the door would have been thanks enough, but Maradosia curled her finger instructing him to come over, he did so reluctantly "It's alright, hold out your hands, what's your name?" "DeAmore, Ma'am" "Well DeAmore, the Goddess does accept your gift and sends blessings to you and your kin."

Maradosia crouched so she was eye level with the young man's eyes "However." Maradosa instructed DeAmore to hold out his hands, holding out the string of amber beads to DeAmore she very gently placed the beads into his outstretched hands "The Goddess wants you and your family to have money for food." DeAmore looked at Maradosia; he didn't understand. With a mother's touch, Maradosia very gently closed the young man's hands around the beads.

 Placing one hand on top and one hand under, Maradosia clasped DeAmores hands in her own and smiled at the young man "Money is scarce, as is food in this day and age. Sell this necklace with my blessings and buy your family provisions for the oncoming storm."

DeAmore smiled some and bowed his head in respect “I understand Mistress,” Maradosia let him pull his hands from hers but stopped him as he started to leave. 

“One more moment DeAmore.” Reaching into her robes, Maradosia pulled out the loaf of bread and the money "The Goddess has a gift for you as well." placing the loaf of bread and the money in DeAmores hands.

Then moving her hands up Maradosia put them on the side of DeAmores head and bowing his head dutifully, she leaned forward and laid the lightest kiss on his forehead. 

"Now go, I have planning to do, and I'm sure your parents are wondering where you've gotten to." The loaf of bread and money disappearing inside DeAmores own robe, bowing at the waist "Many Blessing to you my mistress." straightening up, DeAmore turned and left Maradosia and her novices presence.

Whispering something to herself, Maradosia held out her hand in the direction the young man went as if casting a protective chant after him.

Balling up her fist some, Maradosia held it to her chest and closed her eyes for the tiniest of moments. "You know, before you Maradosia; I don't think we ever had a Priestess that loved her people more." Opening her eyes, Maradosia turned her attention to the one speaking "hmm?" she hadn't really heard what the novice had said, she was starting to get a little dizzy, and it was affecting her attention some.

The novice shook her head smiling inwards at herself "Nevermind Mistress."  

Maradosia went back over to where she had laid down the scripture she had been reading before DeAmore had come in "Then, let's get back to it shall we?"

\------------

I never knew my mother, well I take that back. I knew her as well as any child whom for some reason or another loses their mother at a very early age, knew, my mother, and only has small fragmented memories of them.

Something about her hair always sticks out in my mind though, like a streak of fire amidst a ray of sunshine. Again, these are children's memories with nothing that concrete behind them.

I do however remember some of the aspects of my home world though. Temples as big as you could imagine. Then again, looking back now they could have just seemed that way cause I was so small.

Grass white as snow and temples, they were huge. Or At least they are in my dreams.

\---------

Maradosia sat in her chair half listening to one of her clerics; she had forgotten what their name was at that current moment, reading from the book to the congregation.

She could hear the thundering outside, smell the ions floating in the afternoon air, they were in for a storm. The thought of Petrichor caused Maradosia to smile inwardly; she had always loved the smell both the lightning and rain gave off plus, it had been a while since they'd had a good dowsing and heavens knew they needed it.

Her attention was pulled out of her thoughts as the cleric spoke to her. Maradosia hadn't heard what they had said "Huh? I'm sorry I was miles away." The cleric repeated what they'd said, and Maradosia agreed, still not actually hearing them. 

The storm was getting closer, and the child currently growing within her was getting restless like they were waiting for something to happen. Placing her hand on her abdomen, Maradosia tried to calm the child by saying softly, "Shhh my dear everything is alright." but they seemed to be doing flips and didn't appear to be a fan of the incoming storm.

Maradosia was momentarily rocked with pain, as a bolt of lightning came from the sky hitting smack in the center of the walkway that lead up to where she stood, the world appeared to stop.

A young woman stepped slowly out from where the bolt struck, arcs of electricity reaching off of her and seeming as if they had a life their own, walking across the pews that stood on either side of her as she walked. The sound was almost enough to cause Maradosia to cover her ears with her hands.

"Who are you?"  she asked barely above a whisper when the woman reached the bottom of the predella. The woman hadn't met Maradosia's eyes yet, but when Maradosia asked who she was, she looked up, locking eyes with her. Eyes that had seen a life of pain but that showed an enormous about of compassion all the same. 

Softly, sounding like she was talking through a tunnel "The humans, called me Oracle. I don't know what you called me." Maradosia went to stand up but faltered a little, the child growing within her seemed to be terrified of the stranger and that in turn worried Maradosia as well.

Seeing the woman called Oracle take a step up the predella "Stop!" Maradosia held up her hand in a commanding gesture as her voice echoed in an otherworldly sort of way. "Are you a God?" Oracle tilted her head a little almost in an animalistic fashion, a glint of humour touching her eyes, but she took no further step towards Maradosia. 

"No." she glanced at the floor a little thinking back, "The humans, that called me Oracle called me a being from beyond the stars." looking back up at Maradosia as the sound of a bolt of lightning crackled across the sky. "Some called me demon, but none called me a god." she also didn't feel that she had earned that title.

Taking a tentative step up the predella then another, then another till she was standing in front of Maradosia "The Child," Oracle pointed down making sure not to touch Maradosia "Is she healthy?" The closer she got to her the more Maradosia wanted to reach out and stroke the young woman's cheek but stopped herself when the woman referred to the child growing within her as a girl "What? I don't know if it's going to be a girl or not." Oracle smiled a little still looking at Maradosia as if trying to remember every detail of her face. "I do."

Maradosia reached forward and grabbed the woman's face in her taking Oracle by surprise, having not expected a woman, so heavily pregnant to move that fast "Who are you if not a God to know such things." Maradosia frowned looking deeply into the woman's eyes "Such pain, you have seen, why do I know you?" If Maradosia could hear a heartbreak, she would have heard Oracles shatter into a thousand pieces.

Reaching up, Oracle placed her hands on Maradosia's forearms, gripping them a little to prevent Maradosia from pulling away as her hands started to glow, "Here, let me show you.". The light from Oracles hands raced up Maradosia's arms, moving up her neck, to her face and finally stopping at her temples.

Oracle showed Maradosia her life, the pain, the training to be a perfect soldier, the people she'd come to love and then lose, through no fault of her own and the sense of rage and abandonment that came with every loss.

But, there was love, and a child had been born of that love. Maradosia felt Oracle jerk her hands away from her forearms and take a step back before turning her back to her so she couldn't see her face. Lightning flashed across the sky.. Looking down for a minute, Oracle steeled her temper, and her sadness before she could continue. "Children are so fragile, especially ones between two different species."

Maradosia saw the young woman reign herself in, hiding the emotion with what seemed to Maradosia was years of practice that she hadn't even yet begun to master herself.

"I fear to ask you again..." Oracle cut Maradosia off "It's fine, I'll answer what I can." Oracle said turning to Maradosia "After all how many daughters can say they appeared to their mother in a dreamscape."Maradosia frowned in surprise, "You're my daughter?" Oracle nodded "Yes," Oracle smiled the sadness that was once on her fact wholly gone now. Pointing at Maradosias abdomen "The Child that grows within you will grow into," She gestured to herself nonchalantly.

Smiling like a Cheshire cat "I have waited my entire life to meet you. As cheesy as that sounds." closing the distance between herself and Oracle again before holding her daughters face in her hands once more before pulling Oracle into a hug, she thought she could feel the young woman sobbing, but Oracle made no sound as Maradosia stroked her hair.

Lightning streaked once again across the sky, and she felt Oracle tense saying quickly "I don't have long," pulling away Maradosia caught the quick movement of Oracle wiping away a few rebellious tears. "There's, something coming, rumors were that it was a meteorite, something of that nature I can't get a clear answer and trust me, I've tried for years to get the answer to that question."

There was a sense of urgency in her voice "You have to make them listen," she gestured to the people sitting in the pews behind them and then the novices and the speaker still standing on the predella.

"They love you now, and you must make them listen to you about what's to come."

Maradosia waved her hand slightly in a commanding gesture, and Oracle fell silent. "Oracle, you have to give me more than that child, you expect them to believe me when I say that I've had a vision from, my future daughter who has told me that a great catastrophe is going to befall us all but doesn't know when, or what it is? Even with their love, they will need proof." Maradosia noticed Oracle was watching her with a smile on her face "What?" "I never said I didn't know when this would happen." This one is going to be a smart ass I can tell, Maradosia thought to herself, "Oh you have no idea." Oracle said as if reading her mothers thoughts.

"Are you a telepath as well?" Shaking her head no "No, well…, no, I'm just really good at reading people." Another streak of lightning tore across the sky violently this time causing Maradosia to jump. When she opened her eyes, Oracle stood inches from her "A storm is coming," laying the lightest kiss on Maradosias cheek Oracle disappeared in a blast of light.

Barely above a whisper, Maradosia heard "Be ready."

The World came back full speed to Maradosia and with it, a pain she knew all too well. Faltering some Maradosia grabbed the arm of one of the novices that came to her side as the bottom half of her robe was soaked as her water broke. " Oh Goddess, she's coming."

\------

Maradosia held the newborn in her arms as the little one sucked "What are you going to call her?" Maradosia ran her fingers over the bright red hair covering the child's head already and knew that there would be a brilliant purple streak in it come the future.  "Bellaflame." Her attendee looked at her confused "A see-er of prophecy? Do you plan to train her to replace you?" Maradosia briefly looked up at her before returning her attention to the child, her daughter's future selfs words echoing in her head "Maybe, we'll see." They both needed rest.

Placing the newborn in a cradle beside her own bed Maradosia laid on her side, stroking the baby's hair again. "My little Oracle from beyond the stars, oh the life you'll lead, there will be pain there will be sorrow, but I promise you, it will be worth it in the end." Maradosia watched as the child fell asleep and she fell into fitful dreaming.


End file.
